Finance minister Pranab Mukherjee hints at debt relief for three states, not just Bengal

NEW DELHI: Amid pressure from Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, finance minister Pranab Mukherjee on Wednesday indicated that he could not offer concessions to one state and would look at a package for three debt-afflicted states - Punjab, Kerala and West Bengal.

"I come from West Bengal and I have an obligation towards the state. But I have an equal responsibility towards 28 states and cannot do anything that goes against the federal system," Mukherjee told the Rajya Sabha in his reply to the discussion on the Finance Bill.

He said that a group of officers had been constituted to look at possible ways to help states that have high debt levels and will "work out an acceptable solution". ..........Read More